Dielectric and conductivity measurements on thin liquid films of n-heptanol

Abstract

Measurements of permittivity, loss factor and of d.c. conductivity have been made on very thin films of n-heptanol in both purified and non-purified states. Clear evidence of interfacial polarization effects is found which are fitted to a single mobile charge carrier model. The Garton effect has been found in thin films between aluminium electrodes. It is concluded that the bulk polarization mechanisms all persist to thicknesses down to 1 μm but that there is some evidence for constraint of the dipolar rotational polarization at low thicknesses.